


you're a piece of artwork

by merryofsoul



Category: EXID (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, F/F, lighthearted gay panic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 12:03:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16932912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merryofsoul/pseuds/merryofsoul
Summary: Everyone has an Achilles’ heel. A crack in their facade. Something that makes their confidence plummet.For Hyojin, it’s beautiful women.





	you're a piece of artwork

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by a post somewhere online that I don't remember the exact wording of, but basically the op had their mom to thank for landing them a girlfriend. This also came about from learning that LE seems like the toughest of the group, but is actually the girliest one of them. Also, I'm pretty sure LE's dog's name is Wooyoo (milk)?? but idk if that's right or if I spelt it right...so let me know if you know differently! Thank you to tullycat for talking about this with me and getting me to finish it ♡
> 
> Happy bday to LE!!! 
> 
> Title from I Love You ♡

Confidence is a funny thing. Normally calling a person confident implies that they’re confident in every aspect of their life. This is mostly true for Hyojin. She’s confident that she’s a good daughter, friend, roommate, and employee. She’s confident that people find her attractive, both for her looks and her personality. She’s confident in her raps and her ability to defend her long-standing title at the local underground arena. 

However, everyone has an Achilles’ heel. A crack in their facade. Something that makes their confidence plummet. 

For Hyojin, it’s beautiful women. 

She’s distributing the spoils of her weekly win around to her friends and anyone else who passes by with an empty glass. Winning a keg of beer a week would’ve been the ultimate dream if Hyojin was still in college, but as it is, she has a normal job and a normal schedule to stick to, so she ends up sharing her beer prize every week, much to her friends’ delight. 

But this particular night takes a turn, and it’s a little while before Hyojin feels like the world stops spinning under her feet. 

Hyojin has just handed a glass to Hyuna when someone stops next to her. Expecting it to be another person looking for free beer, she turns with her hand held out expectantly. She stops short when instead of a glass, her hand comes in contact with a woman wearing a silky shirt, her hand grazing the woman’s chest and rings tangling in a necklace. 

“Oh shit,” Hyojin says eloquently. She pulls her hand back, but it doesn’t come free, and the woman steps closer to keep her necklace from snapping. When Hyojin chances a look at her, there’s an amused smirk dancing around the edge of her mouth. Hyojin stares at the perfect line of her lipstick for a beat too long before quickly looking back down to untangle her hand.

“I’m so sorry,” Hyojin says. She can’t believe she practically just _groped_ this other woman in a bar. Stepping back and getting a better look at her, Hyojin can’t help but wonder what this woman is doing here in the first place. Her outfit looks more like it’s suited to a high-end, corporate office than this dirty, sticky bar. She’s holding a glass of what looks like whiskey on the rocks in one perfectly manicured hand. Her heels place her just a little taller than Hyojin — enough that she has to look up a little to meet the woman’s gaze. 

“Are you LE?”

Hyojin blinks in surprise, not expecting the woman to know her name. 

“That’s her,” Hyuna answers for her at the same time that Hyojin returns to world of the living and blurts, “Yeah, that’s me!” 

Hyuna shoots her an amused smirk before returning to her beer and the rest of their friends.

“I saw your performance,” the woman says. “You’re pretty impressive.”

“Thank you,” Hyojin says. She tries to think of something better to say, something more _impressive,_ but her brain keeps circling back to how fucking hot the woman is and how intimidated she feels all of a sudden. It’s not a common feeling for Hyojin. She once accidentally made a dude cry just by spacing out in his direction with her resting bitch face on — she has to admit, she’s a little proud of that one — so it’s weird to be the one feeling intimidated. 

“Can I buy you a drink?”

 _What the hell is happening?_ Hyojin thinks in a panic. She must hesitate too long to answer, because she feels a harsh pinch to her ass, courtesy of Hyuna. There’s still a good portion of the keg left, but who the fuck does Hyojin think she is to say no to a beautiful woman offering to buy her a drink. 

“Sure.” Hyojin couldn’t sound more unenthusiastic if she tried, and she curses at herself as she follows the woman through the crowd to the bar. There’s a murmur of protest from her abandoned friends, but it dies down as quickly as it starts. 

“I’m Solji, by the way,” the woman introduces after they’ve found two seats at the bar. She leans so casually on the bar like it’s nothing. Hyojin suddenly doesn’t know what to do with her hands. She reaches for the drink menu instead, intent on ordering something that might impress Solji. What she wants is more beer, but she eyes the whiskey in Solji’s glass again and sticks with her plan to get a cocktail. 

“Hyojin,” she says. “LE’s just my stage name.”

“I figured,” Solji replies. 

“How did you hear about me?” Hyojin asks, curiosity finally winning out over her embarrassment. “I’m not trying to stereotype, but this doesn’t seem like your...crowd.”

Solji hums and casts a look out over the crowd. They’re all dressed similarly to Hyojin — lots of black and lots of denim, with more holes than fabric at times. Hyojin becomes suddenly aware of her dramatic makeup and her bare stomach, but pushes that feeling away immediately. She knows she looks hot tonight, and she’s not going to start doubting that now. 

“Maybe if I’d had time to go home and change I’d fit in better,” Solji says. 

Hyojin’s heart rate kicks up as she imagines Solji in leather pants and a glittery crop top. She clears her throat and gestures for the bartender. Hyelin makes a disbelieving face when Hyojin places her order, but leaves to make it without actually calling Hyojin out. 

“It’s kind of a funny story actually,” Solji says. Hyojin narrows her eyes. Normally when people start with that, the following narrative is excruciating to sit through. 

“I work at a financial group downtown,” Solji continues. “And there was this sweet, older woman in there today. She was going on and on about her beautiful daughter, and how wonderful and successful she was, and how she wishes she would just settle down with someone already—”

“Oh no—”

“And _then_ went on to say how it doesn’t even have to be a man! It can’t be a man in fact, because her daughter is gay, and isn’t that _wonderful—_ ”

“Please—”

“And then of course my coworkers threw _me_ under the bus and said, ‘Oh, Solji might be able to set her up,’ because all gay people know each other, right—”

Hyojin lets out a low groan, but it’s muffled from where her face is now pressed into the bar. Solji continues on, clearly enjoying telling her story.

“So then I had this woman sitting in my office telling me how great her daughter is and if only she could gain some confidence in the dating world, she’d be much happier, and she kept pressing this phone number on me and then told me where you’d be tonight.” Solji sighs and takes a sip from her glass. “She looked so happy when I said I’d consider it. I almost didn’t come. I fucking hate this bar. But then I thought about how disappointed she’d be, so. Here I am.”

“I cannot believe my mom asked you to come here,” Hyojin says, mostly to the bartop where her face is still planted. “This is humiliating.” 

Solji laughs, and it’s bright and beautiful and Hyojin should’ve realized that she’d never have a real chance with someone like her. 

“You don’t have to stay here,” Hyojin says, heaving herself off the bar. “I’ll pay for your drink and everything. I’m so fucking sorry she did that to you.”

“Oh, it’s alright,” Solji says, waving the worry away. She smiles at Hyojin. “Your mom is really sweet, and it’s clear that she loves you and wants you to be happy. You should’ve seen her face when she was talking about you.”

Hyojin feels her face flush at the same time that her tear ducts start to betray her. She looks up at the ceiling to keep the tears in her eyes where they belong. 

“That is nice to hear,” Hyojin says, her voice smaller than she wants it to be. She sniffs, clears her throat aggressively, and turns to face Solji again. “Still, let me buy your drink to make it up to you.”

“How about this,” Solji says. “Let’s get coffee this weekend and talk a little, and you can tell your mom that I followed up on my word, and she can be happy that you’re trying to get yourself out there.”

“Talk about what, though?” 

“How to get you your gay happily ever after,” Solji says, throwing back the rest of her drink with ease. She slides off her stool and graces Hyojin with another bright smile. “I’ll text you.”

With that, she’s gone in a flip of her hair and a waft of flowery perfume. Hyojin’s still staring at the space where Solji disappeared when Hyelin places a drink in front of her. Hyojin looks at the pink monstrosity and asks, “What the hell is that?” 

“The drink you ordered,” Hyelin replies with a sadistic grin. “Take it, or leave it, I don’t care. But you’re paying for it.” 

Hyojin scowls and grabs the glass. 

*

Hyojin groans from where she’s starfished on her bed, cuddling Wooyoo to her chest. When she doesn’t get the response she wants she groans again — and louder. 

“What?” Jeonghwa calls. She doesn’t even have the decency to come into the room to see what’s causing Hyojin’s distress. Some roommate. Wooyoo sticks his cold, wet nose into her ear and whines at her distress. At least someone loves her. 

“I don’t know what to wear,” Hyojin calls back. She hears a sigh, the shuffle of footsteps, and then Jeonghwa appears in the doorway. 

“Do you have a date?” 

“No,” Hyojin replies pathetically. “I’m just...meeting someone.”

“A girl?”

Hyojin nods.

“And you’re worried about what to wear?” Jeonghwa makes a sound of fake contemplation. “Sounds like a date.”

Hyojin sighs and drags herself into a seated position. “It’s not, but I still want to look nice. But I hate all of my clothes.”

Jeonghwa smirks and walks over to Hyojin’s closet, digging around until she emerges with a triumphant look on her face. 

“This one,” she says, depositing a fuzzy, white sweater into Hyojin’s lap. Wooyoo makes a dive for it and Hyojin quickly pulls it out of the way. “It shows off your boobs.”

“But it’s not a date,” Hyojin says as she watches Jeonghwa rummage through her jewelry and find a necklace that’s gold and dangly. 

“Why are you acting like this?” Jeonghwa asks, glancing up at Hyojin through the mirror. “You have so much confidence when you’re up on stage, but anytime someone actually shows interest you start acting like a completely different person.”

“The stage is different,” Hyojin says. “That’s an act. It’s not who I really am.”

“But it kind of is?” Jeonghwa sits on the end of Hyojin’s bed, folding up her long limbs and pulling Wooyoo into her lap. “Like, it doesn’t come from nowhere. So why can’t you just put a little bit of that into your dating attempts?”

“It’s just...scary,” Hyojin mumbles. She makes a face at how vulnerable she sounds. “Ugh, are you happy?”

“Sort of,” Jeonghwa says. “And I know it is, but you deserve to be happy and have a girlfriend who realizes how amazing you are, unnie.” 

“Thanks.” Hyojin scrunches up her nose and smiles. She reaches out and scrubs her hand through Jeonghwa’s hair, which is delightfully easier to mess up now that she’s cut it so short. Jeonghwa yells and falls off the bed trying to get away from her, and the laughter eases some of Hyojin’s nerves. 

*

Solji is already at the coffee shop when Hyojin arrives. Hyojin spots her through the window and backtracks until she’s in front of the store next door so she can check her hair and makeup in the window. She’s wearing the sweater and necklace Jeonghwa picked out, plus a new lip stain. She runs her hand over her straightened hair and takes in a deep breath. 

_It’s not a date,_ she reminds herself. _If anything, she feels sorry for you._

With that thought pushing her embarrassment over into slight annoyance, she straightens her posture and enters the coffee shop. She walks to the table Solji has claimed and relieves herself of her scarf, coat, and bag before frowning at Solji. 

“I was going to buy that for you,” she says, eyeing the mug in front of Solji. 

“You can buy me some cake,” Solji replies, smiling up at Hyojin.

“What kind?” 

Solji’s smile grows. “Surprise me.”

Hyojin squints up at the order board as she waits in line. She feels like she’s being flirted with, but that’s ridiculous because Solji is only here to give her advice. She shakes her head to snap herself out of it, and finally steps up to order. 

“You got so much,” Solji remarks once Hyojin gets back to the table. She’d picked out three different slices of cake because she doubted her first choice, but when Solji reaches for the slice of red velvet, Hyojin realizes her first instinct was right.

“You can never have too much cake,” Hyojin replies, which makes Solji smile again.

“So, tell me what the issue is,” Solji says, jumping right into it. “Have you dated at all before?”

“I have,” Hyojin says. It comes out a bit defensively, which is not how she meant to sound. Solji’s eyebrows twitch upward in amusement. 

“No judgement if you hadn’t,” Solji says. “I was just curious.” 

“I dated men for a while before I realized I was gay,” Hyojin explains. “Women...not so much. It’s harder.”

“Why?”

“Men are so easy,” Hyojin replies. “I always knew what to expect, and it was so easy to please them. It’s like I was running through the same script with different guys.” She takes a sip of her coffee and sighs. “Women, though. They’re different.”

“Blessedly so,” Solji says with a smile. Hyojin laughs. 

“I’ve really tried,” Hyojin explains. “But women are so fucking intimidating sometimes. I fuck it up everytime.”

“How?” 

“I don’t know,” Hyojin grumbles. “If I knew how, I’d stop doing it, and then we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.”

Solji hums, and Hyojin gears herself up to admit something that’s she’s only ever really admitted to herself.

“I think, maybe, there’s something about me that’s messed up.”

“That’s dumb,” Solji says bluntly. Hyojin blinks in surprise and narrows her eyes at Solji before remembering that this is a new person in her life, and she can’t just give her a death glare like she does with her friends. She tries to make her face go back to normal, but Solji makes a face back like she caught it.

“I think you just haven’t found the right woman yet,” Solji continues. “Which sounds so cliche, I know, but people say it a lot because it’s usually true.”

“What about you?” Hyojin asks, pulling from that onstage confidence like Jeonghwa told her to. “Have you found the right woman?”

It’s Solji’s turn to blink in surprise, but she gets over it pretty quickly, taking another forkful of cake. Hyojin doesn’t understand how her lipstick is staying on so well. 

“I haven’t,” Solji replies. 

“At least it’s not just me,” Hyojin says. Solji barks out a laugh and then covers her mouth, trying to keep it in. Hyojin smiles in delight and amazement at the noise she just made come out of Solji. It was so jarring compared to the sophisticated, calm persona Solji has exuded since their first meeting. 

“Oh yeah?” Hyojin says. “The ahjumma jumped out, huh?”

“Yah!” Solji yells back. “Who are you calling ahjumma?!”

Hyojin’s own cackle starts to break free, despite how hard she tries to keep it in. It takes a minute before they manage to get themselves under control, and Hyojin tries to ignore the stares of the other patrons. It’s as if a flip was switched, and suddenly they’re laughing and joking as they finish their drinks and cake. Too soon they have nothing left to devour, and it’s time to go.

“Oh hey,” Hyojin says as they get ready to leave. “If you’re interested, I’m performing again this weekend. I can put your name on the list so you can get in without paying the cover charge, and whoever you want to bring.” 

“Oh, a _list?_ ” Soljis teases. 

“I mean, I _am_ kind of famous there,” Hyojin says, tossing her scarf over her shoulder dramatically. 

Solji shakes her head. “I don’t understand how you don’t have a girlfriend. Are you sure you have confidence issues?”

Hyojin makes an ugly face back. “I know I don’t have a chance with you, so I’m not nervous.” 

Solji huffs a laugh and shakes her head. 

“So, should I put your name down?” Hyojin asks. 

Solji sighs. “I wasn’t lying when I said I hated that bar.”

Hyojin shrugs, trying to keep the disappointment off her face. It sinks down into the pit of her stomach instead. “That’s fine.”

“Ugh, don’t pout,” Solji says. “I’ll come. I’ll ask my friend too. I’ll text you her name if she says yes?” 

“Sure,” Hyojin replies. “Is she single?”

Solji clears her throat and raises an incredulous eyebrow. “Yeah, but you’re not her type.”

“Hmm,” Hyojin says. She holds the door open for Solji. “I’m everybody’s type.”

“Oh my _god,_ ” Solji laughs, and they go their separate ways with Hyojin feeling much better about herself, and definitely looking forward to the weekend. 

*

Hyojin tries not to scan the crowd before she goes on stage, but she can’t help it. She’s nervous about her performance and she wants to see if Solji is in the audience. She’s not sure if Solji’s presence will make it better or worse though. 

She peeks out sees Jeonghwa first, easily to spot as she towers over most people. She’s talking to someone that Hyojin doesn’t recognize, but she’s not able to figure it out before someone tugs her back behind the curtain. 

“Are you ready?” Hyelin reaches out to fix the wrap draped over Hyojin’s shoulders and hands her a microphone. 

“Of course I’m ready,” Hyojin answers. Her stomach immediately lurches and she places a hand over it, glaring down in betrayal. 

“Are you gonna barf?” Hyelin asks. “I have a spare toothbrush.”

“Oh my god,” Hyojin says. “I’m fine.”

“Then get out there!”

Hyelin gives Hyojin a swift slap on the ass and then scurries out of the way, leaving Hyojin to face the lights and stage on her own. This isn’t the usual type of song she sings. It’s slower and sexier, and of course the night she sings it for the first time is the same night she invited Solji to see her. She doesn’t know what she was thinking.

She doesn’t black out exactly, but it all moves in a blur, and suddenly she’s backstage again, sweaty and in desperate need of a drink. She chugs the water bottle that Hyelin passes her and then says, “Fuck, I need a beer.”

“Someone’s already paid for your first round,” Hyelin tells her, guiding her away from their makeshift backstage area and back into the crush of the bar. “I have to hop back behind the bar, but I’ll have them for you when you’re ready.”

“Who bought them?” Hyojin asks. Hyelin only gives her a sly look before slipping through the crowd, leaving Hyojin to shout at her back, “Who?”

“That would be me.”

Hyojin turns to see Solji. She’s dressed much more appropriately for the bar this time around, her long hair is pulled back into a sleek ponytail. Hyojin tries to blink away her heart eyes and clears her throat. 

“You made it,” she says, stupidly. 

“I did,” Solji replies. “I was going to introduce you to Hani too, but she’s flirting with your roommate.”

She tilts her chin in the direction of the bar, and Hyojin grins when she sees Jeonghwa. She’s in her typical plaid shirt and jean shorts — emphasis on the short — ensemble, and she’s doing something with bar napkins and cocktail stirrers that’s making Hani throw her head back in laughter. 

Hyojin turns back to ask, “Did you guys like it?” and watches as Solji’s eyes skitter away from her, as if she’d been looking at Hyojin while Hyojin looks at their friends.

“Yes,” Solji replies immediately. Hyojin watches in shock as Solji’s cheeks flush a delicate pink. “I mean— yes. I liked it a lot.”

“Better than last weeks?” Hyojin asks, fishing for compliments at this point. Solji makes a face like she realizes exactly what Hyojin’s doing. 

“They were both really good,” Solji says. “You’re really talented.”

“Thanks,” Hyojin mumbles, the shyness creeping out again. 

“About what we talked about a few days ago,” Solji says. “I really think you should just go for it. You’re hot, and you’re funny, and I think that you just need to find the right person. Don’t get discouraged.”

“Okay,” Hyojin says. 

“Okay?” Solji replies. “It’s that easy?”

Hyojin shrugs. “You’re a miracle worker.”

Solji laughs. “Make sure you tell your mom. I want the credit.”

“I will,” Hyojin replies with a grin. “You want a drink?”

“No, I’m getting you drinks,” Solji says. “Wait here.”

Hyojin watches her walk toward the bar and thinks, _fuck it._

 _Just go for it,_ she tells herself as she pulls out her phone, finds the contact she’s looking for, and presses call. 

Solji is still in Hyojin’s line of sight when she pulls her phone out of her pocket, smiles bemusedly, and answers. 

“Yes?” Solji asks, leaning back against the bar and meeting Hyojin’s gaze over the crowd between them. “Did you want to place an order?”

“No,” Hyojin says. “I’m going for it.”

“What?” Solji laughs a little, but Hyojin can see her face. She sees how Solji blinks in surprise. 

“Do you want to go out with me?” Hyojin asks. “A real date this time. Not a pity date.”

“Yes,” Solji answers immediately. “And it wasn’t a pity date.”

“It sort of was, but we can argue about that later,” Hyojin replies. 

They stand there longer than they should, looking at each other with the call still connected, until Hyelin swoops in to ask Solji what she wants, and Hyojin’s gets tackled in a side hug by Hyuna. Hyojin ends the call with a smile on her face, her heart thrumming happily.

**Author's Note:**

> [My twitter!](https://twitter.com/guccitaeg)


End file.
